“Consistency” was the word that came to my mind when I read Genesis 12 this morning.
God’s consistency.
Humanity’s lack of consistency.
The chapter begins with God making a promise to Abram (this is before God renamed him Abraham),
And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 12:2). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.great . . .
And the chapter ends with God being faithful to that promise. I won’t add the entire story here, but read it for yourself and Abram while he was in Egypt received,
"sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels." (v. 16b)
Also, The Lord protected Abram from the Pharaoh in Egypt (vv. 17-20)
God was consistent!
The only reason, however, that Abram had to be protected from Pharaoh is due to Abram’s inconsistency towards God!
God made a promise to Abram, Abram trusted God and followed God’s leading and worshiped God,
From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. 9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 12:8–9). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
Until things got tough.
Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ge 12:10). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
And since Abram was in a place God had not called him to go, he had to start operating under his own logic, which was to lie and betray his marital commitment (vv. 11-13).
Abram was inconsistent!
Let me point out the obvious.
God’s faithfulness is consistent.
Our faithfulness is not.
Who do you want to follow?
A consistent God . . . or your inconsistent self?
I’m going with God!